Restrictor



Aug. 14, 1951 A. R. STEPHANY RESTRICTOR Filed March l, 1949 lll//I Eme.

i INVENTOR. i/554,7 JrEP/M/vn C2@ k @M ATTORNEYS- movement of the plug member is obtained by cooperation of the external threads on the tubular stem 24 and the internal threads on the member 25.

It will be observed that the casing 22 and the plug member 25 have contacting elements disposed in cones having equal apex angles, and that at least one of the elements 25 or 22 is stepped so as to provide for circular line contact with the other. I prefer that the interior of the casing be provided with a series of steps 3l, and it will be observed that the three circular lines of contact 3| lie in a cone. The hollow plug member has an outer conical surface having I an apex angle equal to the cone in which the contact lines 3l are found. I prefer to form on the outer surface of the plug member 25 a number of grooves or notches extending around the same annularly as indicated at 32. Preferably there will be one less of the notches 32 than there are of the contacting lines 3l, and the notches 32 will be disposed so that if the plug member is brought into contact with the casing the grooves 32 will lie one between each two of the edges 3|.

I have found that the ideal apex angle for the cones mentioned above is about 21, that is, each element of the conical surface forms an angle of about lOl/2 with the axis of the restrictor. This angle may be varied, although if it is reduced more than just a few degrees, say two or three, a tendency for the restrictor to clog, where any amount of sand or grit is entrained in the Water, will be observed. Similarly, the angle may be increased, but an increase of more than just a few degrees, say two or three, makes the restrictor noisy, so that it will fail to achieve the results desired.

An inlet tting for the restrictor is -provided at 33 through the inlet 33 into the interior of the casing 22 and thence between the casing 22 and the hollow plug member 25 into the annular area indicated generally at 34. From thence the water flows through the apertures 26 into the inside of the hollow plug member and thence out through the pipe I3 or the pipe 20.

It will be clear that the rotation of the member 27 will bring about an adjustment in the proximity between the members 22 and 25 whereby the water pressure may be very accurately regulated.

The notches 32 will lpreferably have one of their surfaces disposed at an angle of about 45. I

have found that this is desirable in producing silent and trouble free operation.

It will be clear that numerous modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of my invention and therefore I do not intend to limit myself to any specific details not set forth in the claims which follow.

Having now fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A fluid restrictor comprising a generally tubular casing having a fluid inlet adjacent one end, a substantially axial opening at said one end and a tubular stem secured in said opening, said tubular stem being externally threaded, a hollow -plug member internally threaded and in engagement with said stem and having sealing engagement with the other end of said casing, the hollow in said plug member communicating with the interior of said tubular stem, an aperture in said plug member permitting passage of fluid from the outside thereof into said hollow, whereby fluid entering said inlet may pass around the outside of said plug member, through said aperture, and thence through said plug member and tubular stem, the interior surface of said casing and the exterior surface of said plug member having contacting elements disposed in cones having equal apex angles, one of said surfaces being stepped to provide for circular line contact with elements of the other surface.

2. A fluid restrictor according to claim 1, in which lthe other of said surfaces is provided with a series of annular notches one less in number than the number of said steps.

3. A fluid restrictor according to claim 1, in which the apex angle of said cones is substantially 10 1/2.

4. A fluid restrictor according to claim 1, in which there are provided three steps.

5. A fluid restrictor according to claim 8, in which the exterior surface of said Vplug member is provided with a series of annular notchesV one less in number than the number of said steps.

6. A fluid restrictor according to claim 8, in which the apex angle of said cones is substantially l0 1/2".

7. A fluid restrictor according to claim 8, in which there are provided three steps.

8. A uid restrictor comprising a generally tubular casing having a fluid inlet adjacent one end, a substantially axial opening at said one end and a tubular stem secured in said opening, said tubular stem being externally threaded, a hollow plug member internally threaded and in engagement with said stem and having sealing engagement with the other end of said casing, the hollow in said plug member communicating with the interior of said tubular stem, an aperture in said plug member permitting passage of fluid from the outside thereof into said hollow, whereby fluid entering said inlet may pass around the outside of said plug member, through said aperture, and thence through said plug member and tubular stem, the interior surface of said casing and the exterior surface of said plug member having contacting elements disposed in cones having equal apex angles, the interior surface of said casing being stepped to provide for circular line contacts with elements of the other surface.

ALBERT R. STEPHANY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Picut Sept. 26, 1939 

